Folding safety razor



Oct. 31, 1967 v. M. ZELES I FOLDING SAFETY RAZOR F|G.9 INVENTOR. VALENTINUS M. ZELES BY Filed Sept. 2, 1966' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,349,484 FOLDING SAFETY RAZOR Valentinus M. Zeles, 267 Melrose St., Auburndale, Mass. 02166 Filed Sept. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 576,975 1 Claim. (CI. 30-47) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A folding pocket safety razor is provided for carrying about in a pocket when traveling. The razor is provided with a handle portion which carries a soap dispenser, a folding razor head and a removable cap. The cap is provided with a blade dispenser serving also as a clip for attaching the device to a shirt pocket or the like.

This invention relates generally to shaving tackle and more particularly is directed towards a new and improved shaving kit, comprising a foldable razor with a self-contained lather dispenser, both components being housed in a small compact casing that is easily carried on the person as in a pocket in the same manner as a pen or pencil.

Shaving kits generally are made up of a number of separate components namely, a razor, a package of blades, a brush and or a lather-forming material such as solid soap or a pressurized foam dispenser. When travelling, the shaving gear must be collected and stored in a kit bag or the like which is then added to the suitcase. These various components collectively are rather bulky and untidy and, for shaving, the entire kit must be carried to and from the washroom. For short trips, conventional shaving tackle occupies a relatively large amount of space in the baggage and cannot be easily accommodated in an overnight bag or brief case, for example.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improvements in shaving tackle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact shaving kit that may be readily carried about on the person.

A further object of this invention is to provide a folding razor adapted to be carried about in the pocket for travel and to be quickly erected for use.

More particularly this invention features a folding razor of elongated construction and having ahead portion that is foldable from a position parallel to the length of the razor handle to an erected position perpendicular thereto. The razor is formed with an elongated tubular handle housing a foam dispenser and extra blades are stored in a pocket clip to complete a self-contained shaving kit.

However, these and other features of the invention, along with further objects and advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a pocket-size shaving kit made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the FIG. 1 device,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view in side elevation,

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the razor ready for use,

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of the razor in a folded position,

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation of the razor with the head raised,

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the head in a fully erected position,

3,349,484 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 FIG. 8 is an exploded view in perspective showing details of the head assembly,

FIG. 9 is a detailed sectional view in side elevation of the head assembly,

FIG. 10 is a sectional view in front elevation of the head portion of the razor,

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the head assembly, and,

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 10 generally indicates a pocket-size shaving kit organized about a tubular handle 12 having a cap 14 detachably connected thereto by means of cooperating threads 16. The lower portion of the handle 10 is of hollow construction having an inner chamber 18 normally closed by means of a cap 20 detachably connected to the base of the handle as by cooperating threads 22. The chamber 18 serves to house a dispenser 24 of a beard softener such as a pressurized foam dispenser configured to fit within the chamber 18. The dispenser 24 is formed with a discharge nozzle 26 at its upper end operated by means of a button actuated valve 28. The base of the dispenser 24 is detachably connected to the cap 20 by means of a bayonet mount including lugs 30 which cooperate with a split annular shoulder 32 formed about the inner surface of the cap. A spring-loaded plate 33 is provided at the base of the cap 20 to urge the dispenser lugs into locking engagement with the shoulder 32. It will be understood that the shoulder 32 is split so that the dispenser may be removed by pushing the dispenser in against the force of the spring, twisting it until the lugs align with the shoulder opening and then separating the two. In this fashion the dispenser may be replaced with a fresh one when its contents have been exhausted.

The cap 14 is also of hollow construction with the upper end closed by an end Wall 34. Detachably mounted to the side of the cap 14 as by a clip 35 is a blade dispenser 36 which also serves as a pocket clip for securing the kit 10 to a shirt pocket, for example. The blade dispenser 36 comprises an outer casing 38 the lower portion of which is rounded at 40 opposite the outer surface of the cap 14 to facilitate clipping the device to a shirt. The casing 38 is of generally elongated rectangular construction containing a stack of single or double-edged blades 42 normally urged to the right as viewed in FIG. 3 by means of a curved-leaf spring 44 at the base of the stack. The outer, right-hand wall of the blade dispenser casing is formed with an elongated slot 46 in which rides a slide button 48. It will be understood that blades are dispensed by pushing the slide button 48 upwardly whereby it will engage the outermost blade and carry it lengthwise of the dispenser and outwardly through an opening 50 formed at the upper end of the dispenser casing. In this fashion spare blades are readily available and conveniently dispensed when required. The entire blade dispenser may be replaced by separating it from the cap 14 when the supply of blades is exhausted.

Normally covered by the cap 14 is a folding head 52. The head 52 is of generally semi-cylindrical configuration and is pivotally mounted to a bifurcated extension 54 of the handle 12. The extension 54 is also of semicylindri-cal construction so that the handle and head have an overall cylindrical configuration when the head is in the folded condition shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. In practice, the head 52 is raised into an operating position by first pivoting the head perpendicular to the handle as suggested in FIG. 6 and then rotating it as in FIG. 7 into a locked position. The razor head is then ready for use.

The razor head assembly is best shown in FIGS. 9 through 12. The head assembly includes .a top plate 56 the outer surface of which is semi-cylindrical while the inner surface is generally flat, having a pair of depending lugs 58 with lockings ends in the form of notches or enlarged heads 59. The lugs 58 extend through openings 60 formed in a blade 62 disposed between the upper plate 56 and .a base member 64. The base member is similarly formed with spaced opening 66 which register with the openings 60 and the lugs 58. The base member 64 is provided with a spring-loaded slide lock 68 mounted in opposing channels 70 formed .along either side of the base member 64. A curved-leaf spring 72 is mounted at the left-hand end of the base member 64 as viewed in FIG. 11 and bears against the left-hand end of the slide lock urging it normally to the right as viewed in FIG. 11. It will be understood that the apertured lock 68 is adapted to engage the lugs 58 and thereby lock the top plate 56 together with the blade 62 in position against the base plate 64 in the manner suggested in FIG. 12.

The slide lock is operated by pressing the right-hand end towards the left as viewed in FIGS. 11 and 12 and then placing the top plate 56 down over it with the lugs 58 extending through the blade openings 60 as well as the opening 66. In this position the slide lock is released and the spring 72 urges it to the right with the edges of the opening in the slide lock engaging the notched or headed ends of the lugs 58, restraining them from separating from the assembly. In this fashion, the blade is seated with its cutting edge exposed along one side. Obviously, the head may be readily modified to accommodate a double-edge blade with the two edges being exposed along opposite sides of the head assembly.

Depending downwardly from the base plate 64 from the center thereof is a post 74 having an enlarged head 76 at the lower end thereof. The post 74 extends down through a hinge member 80 having a central opening 82 formed therein. The opening 82 is formed with an inner annular shoulder 84 and cooperates with the head 76 to trap a coil spring 86 compressed therebetween over the post 74. Thus the head assembly comprising the top plate 56, the blade and the base plate 64 is spring loaded to the hinge member 80. The hinge member 80 is pivoted between the two legs of the bifurcated extension 54 by means of a pin 88 extending through the legs and through the hinge member. The hinge member is also formed with a pair of indents 83 which cooperate with a pair of detents 85 formed on the underside of the base plate 64 to lock the razor head in the proper angular shaving position shown in FIG. 7.

It will be understood that the head assembly 52 is erected by swinging it first into a right angular position as shown in FIG. 6. This is done against the force of the spring 86 which will tend to pull the head assembly down against the top surface of the bifurcated extension 54 when in an erected position. Once in the erected position the head is pulled upwardly against the force of the spring 86, rotated 90 and released so that the detents seat in the indents 83 with the spring 86 serving to lock the razor head in position. The razor is now ready for use. When the shaving has been completed, the head is merely pulled up slightly, turned and folded down to the position shown in FIG. 5. The cap is then replaced and the unit is put away in a pocket or the like.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment, it will be understood that numerous modifications thereto will appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description and accompanying drawings should be taken as illustrative of the invention and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patents of the United States is:

Shaving tackle, comprising (a) an elongated hollow handle,

(b) a lather dispenser removably mounted in said handle,

(c) a movable head mounted to one end of said handle and adapted to be moved selectively back and forth from a folded position parallel to said handle to an erected position perpendicular thereto,

(d) said head being mounted to said handle for angular rotation about the axis of said handle when said head is in an erected position,

(e) first means for locking said head in said erected position,

(f) second means for mounting a blade to said head,

(g) a tubular cap adapted to engage said handle and telescopically enclose said head when said head is in a folded position, and,

(h) a blade dispenser in the form of a pocket clip mounted to said cap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,392,753 10/1921 Franck 30-86 X 1,807,724 6/1931 Bosanac 3047 1,878,269 9/1932 Deutsch 30-47 X 1,898,803 2/1933 Young 3047 X 2,020,043 11/1935 Taylor 3085 2,065,585 12/1936 Herb 30-47 2,407,516 9/1946 Roberts 30-47 2,429,352 9/ 1947 Garritson 3086 X 2,442,078 5/1948 Deutsch 30-47 2,454,374 11/1948 Bowlin 3047 2,512,953 6/1950 Madufi et a1. 3047 2,725,626 12/1955 Baker 3040 OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner. 

